Sealing device



March 22, 1932. T. ROED SEALING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1928 T. ROED SEALING DEVICE March 22, 1932.

Filed March 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 2 2, 1932 THOBVA LD RQED, OF CHICAGO, ILLIIJ 01S SEALING DEVICE Application filed March 14, 1928. Serial No. 261,547.

My invention relates to scaling devices designed and adapted to prevent leakage of lubricant used on bearings.

The object of the invention is to provide a device forthe purpose specified, which will be simple in construction, which willoccu- -py only small space, which will be effective for its designed. purpose and which may be manufactured at relatively small cost as compared with other devices for the same purpose of which I have any knowledge.

To effect the objects of the invention, a sealing device embodying my invention and improvements comprising a casing having a flat disk portion provided with an opening adapted to receive a relatively rotatable member and referably proportioned to permit relative goating movement of said casing and rotatable member, and a flange at the outer edge of said disk portion adapted to be seated in an annular opening in a relatively non-r0 tatalole part or member to form a tight joint, a packing member of suitable material comprising a sleeve portion adapted to fit a bearing on said relatively rotatable member and a collar portion adapted to contact with the disk portion of the casing, and pressure means applied to said packing member adapted to hold the sleeve and disk portions there- .of in frictional engagement with the bearing on said relatively rotatable member and with the disk portion of the casing, respectively. The invention also comprises the various otherfeatures, combinations of features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed." In the accompanying drawings in which my invention is fully illustrated Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a sealing device embodying my invention and improvements shown as applied in use for sealing a usual type of roller bearing for. rotatably mounting a shaft in Figure2 is a sectional end viewon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

. Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing a sealing device embodying my invention and improvements asappliecl in use for. seala] relatively. fix'ed' member, shown in section. I

a front wheel of a motor vehicle on the j ournal formed on a steering knuckle pivoted to the front axle of the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view substantially similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of sealing device of my invention. 7

Figure 5 is a View substantially similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a second modification.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end view from the left side of Fig. 6; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing the w compression member forming part of the sealing de'vice shown in Figs. 5 and 6, developed.

Describing the invention with particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in the first instance, in which I have shown what I now consider to be the preferable embodiment of my invention, A designates my im proved sealing device as a whole, shown as applied in use for sealing a usual type of roller bearing, designated as a whole a, for mounting a shaft a in a housing a Said shaft a and housing a exemplify any relatively rotatable parts or members to which the bearing a may be applied.

As shown, said sealing device A comprises a casing designated as a whole 6, comprising a fiat disk portion 1- provided with a central hole or opening 2 adapted to receive the shaft a and preferably proportioned to provide for contemplated floating action of said shaft and housing relative to each other, and a cylindrical flange portion 3 formed at the outer edge of said disk 1, 'My improved sealing device also comprises a packing member of suitable material designated as a whole 6, comprising integral sleeve and collar portions 4. and 5, the sleeve portion being fitted to and'in use being compressed into close frictional engagement with the shaft 0:, and the collar portion 5/ being adapted to rest in contact with the disk portion 1 of the casing b.

My improved seahng device also comprises ill - member 6 adapted to maintain flange or shoulder 10 inner surface of the disk portion 1 of the casing b, respectively.

In accordance with my invention, said pressure means comprises what may be rethe sleeve portion 4 of said packing member and adapted to compress'it into desired.frictional engagement with the shaft a. Said pressure means also comprises means in association with the washer portion 6 of the com-- pression member 6 applied to saidpacking member, for exerting pressure upon said the collar portion 5 thereof in close frictional engagement with the disk portion 1 of the casing b,'said means consisting, as shown, of a dished washer 8 made of resilient sheet metal; provided with a central opening 9 adapted to receive the sleeve portion i of the packing memher and the compression finger 7 thereon.

preferably with sufiicient clearance-to permit contemplated floating movement of the shaft (1 andhousing a relative to each other. Said washer 8 is assembledunder desired compression with its concave side disposed outwardly, the base and apex thereof reacting against a disk 10 secured in the open side of the casing b, and the washer portion 6 of the compression member 6 As shown, said disk 10 is secured inposition against the thrust of the spring washer 8 by means of a formed at the edge of the flange portion 3 of the casing I). Said flange or shoulder can be formed in a simple manner by swaging the extreme edgeof the flange 3 over the edge of said disk, when in position corresponding to desired compression of the spring washer 8.

In use, leakage of oil, grease or other lubricant past the casing b of the sealing device is prevented by seating said casing in a recess or opening formed in one of the relatively rotatable members to which the device is applied so as to form a tight joint, as for example, see particularly Fig. 1, in a recess 11 formed in the housing a in which the shaft is rotatably mounted.

With the described construction, it is obvious that my improved sealing device A will effectively prevent leakage of lubricant from the space in which the roller bearing a is confined. Particular advantages inherent in my.

improved sealing device is that all of the parts thereof may be formed and assembled quickly and at relatively small cost by usual stamping and swedging operations and, also, that said device is entirely self-contained.

In assembling my improved sealing device, the final operation consists in swedging over the edge of thefiange 3 to form the'shoulder 10 by which the disk 10 is secured in the casbe subjected in use,

ing 71." But before doing this, said spring washer is subjected to compression corresponding to desired pressure to which the collar portion of the packing member b will in which position it will be locked when the shoulder is formed. For purposes of definite illustration, I have also shown in Fig. 3, a sealing device constructed substantially in accordance with the disclosure of Figs. 1 and 2, as applied in use to the bearing of the front wheel of an automobile.

Referring to Fig.3, in which the sealing device is secured in the rotatable hub of the wheel instead of in a fixed housing, 0 designates the steering-knuckle on which the journal 0 for mounting the front wheel of an automobile is formed, said knuckle being pivoted to the front axle C, in a usual manner. As shown, the hub c of the wheel is mounted on the journal 0 by a roller bearing of a familiar type indicated at c and the joint between the relatively rotatable journal 0 and hub c is sealed by means of my improved sealing device A, the casing b of which is seated in the recess 11 formed in the end of thehub c and the sleeve portion 4; of the packing member I) engaging a cylindrical surface 12 at the base of the journal 0, said sealing devicethus effectively preventing leakage between said journal 0 and hub 0'.

the base of the spring washer 8 reacting directly against a shoulder formed by swaging over the extreme edge of the flange 3 of the casing b, as shown at 10.

As a modification of my improved sealing device, I contemplate a construction in which the spring washer 8 by means of which pres sure is applied to the packing member, instead of forming a separatepartforms an integral part of the compression member b Y which contacts directly with the collar por tion 5 of said packing member 6.

This modification is shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings and, excepting as hereinafter par ticularly described and pointed out, is of. the same construction as the sealing device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, previously described, and will be readily understood from an examination of the drawin s, without a further description thereof in etail, similar parts thereof being designated b y the same reference characters as in Figs. 1 to 3. As shown in be applied to the sleeve and collar portions 4 and 5 of the packing member I) by means of a member designated 'as a whole d, which comprises a disk portion 6 adapted to bear against the collar portion 5 of said packing member, and provided with an opening to re ceive the sleeve portion 4' of. said packing member, formed on which, surrounding said opening therein, are spring fingers 7 adapted Fig. 4, pressureis adapted to V to closely engage the sleeve portion 4 of said packing member and to compress the same into desired frictional engagement with the member a. Said pressure member also comprises a portion 13 which forms a marginal extension of the disk portion 6 and which is dished in substantially the same manner as the dished washer 8 in the preferred form of device, the outer edge of which rests in contact with a ring 14 secured in the open side of the casing b, in any suitable manner, preferably by swedging over the outer edge of the flange 3 of the casing 12, so as to form an abutment or shoulder for the'ring 14, as shown at 15, substantially in the same manner as the disk 10 is secured in position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

With the described construction, it is obvious that the member (Z will be connected to the packing member I) so as to move therewith and, in order to provide for contemplated floating movement of the members a, (1 relative to each other, it is necessary that the diameter of the pressure member d shall be less than the inside diameter of the cas in b.

is a further modification of my improved sea-ling device, instead of the means shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and in Fig. 4, for applying pressure to the packing member, my invention contemplates the use of a pressure member substantially as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, in which said compression member, designated as a whole (1, comprises a disk portion6 provided with a hole or opening adapted to receive the rotatable member a and the packing member 7) formed at the inner edges of which are spring fingers 7 2 adapted to fit over the sleeve portion 4: of said packing member and to compress the same into close frictional engagement with the rotatable member a. Said pressure member also comprises an outer portion 16 which forms a marginal extension of the disk portion 6 thereof and which projects toward the open side of the casing 12 of said sealing device, and in use, reacts against a ring 17 secured in the open side of the casing bolt the device. As shown, this iseifected by swedging over the edge of the flange portion 3 of the casing to form a head or shoulder 18 against which said ring or collar 17 rests.

The pressure memberd is made of thin, resilient sheet metal, preferably hard sheet steel or bronze, and the outer portion 16 thereof is rendered resilient when subjected to axial stresse by forming overlapping Cll': cumferential s ots 19 therein, thus rendering it compressible. A

With the described construction it is obvious that by properly proportioning the. parts of the sealing device, desired pressure may be exerted on the washer port1on'5 of the packing member through endwise compression of the spring member 16 of said pressure device.

As in the modification shown in Fig. 4, the pressure member d will move with the packmg member and to provide for desired relative floating movement of the rotatable member a and the surroundinghousing, it will be necessary tomake the spring portion 16 of the pressure member smaller than the inside diameter of the flange portion 3 of the casing b.

I claim:

1. In a sealing device, the combination of a casing comprising a flat disk portion provided with an opening adapted to receive one of relatively rotatable members, and a flange at the outer edge of said disk portion adapted to be seated in an annular opening in one of said members to form a tight joint, a packing member of suitable material com prising a sleeve portion adapted to fit a bearing on one of said relatively rotatable members, and a collar portion which contacts with the disk portion of the casing, and pressure means applied to said packing member comprising a washer applied to the collar portion thereof, spring fingers thereon applied to the sleeve portion thereof, and a spring member applied to the washer portion of said pressure member made of suitable sheet material assembled under compression and reacting against a rigid part of the device.

2. In a sealing device, the combination of a casing comprising a flat disk portion provided with an opening adapted to receive one of relatively rotatable members, and a flange at the outer edge of said disk portion adapted to be seated in an annular opening in one of said members to form a tight joint, a packing member of suitable material comprising a sleeve portion adapted to fit a bearing on one of said relatively rotatable members, and a collar portion which contacts with the disk portion of the casing, and ressure means applied to said packing mem er comprising a washer applied to the collar portion thereof, spring fingers thereon applied to the sleeve portion thereof, and a sprin member applied to the washer portion 0 said pressure member comprising a dished disk of suitable resilient material assembled under compres sion with its concave side disposed outwardly and its base reacting against a rigid part of the device.

In witness that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afiix my signature this 9th day of March, A. D. 1928.

THORVALD ROED. 

